How to dull shiny nickel hardware on leather jackets?

navetsea said:

semi permanent, usually it is used to seal artwork or modelkit weathering effect, as alternative for fixative / varnish, if you just mist over it lightly (not over saturate it) its grainy surface will look matte

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Thanks, will give it a try if I can find a way to mask the leather around it well!

Carlos840 said:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-legendary-durable-wild-one-jacket.85430/

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Just read the thread, and I'm not convinced. How do we know Durable didn't make that jacket after the film was released. The jacket only seems to vary a little from the 618 at the time, and a costume designer could have well added those.

I also vote do nothing. It will dull naturally in due course. Nickel ages especially nicely. There's no need to accelerate it.

@Bulldozer don't go at the nickel with steel wool, or anything else abrasive. You'd actually be destroying the surface of the nickel coating over the metal fixings, and you don't want that.

I would make a couple of suggestions though: wipe the metal parts with vinegar or ammonia - if you can bare the smell! The mild corrosive effect of these chemicals will affect the surface finish of the nickel without physically abrading it.

Alternatively, dab or wipe the metal surfaces with a light oil - WD-40, perhaps - and then use a hairdryer to heat/dry the oil. This should darken the nickel.

If it was my jacket, I'd be trying the oil option first.

Oh, these treatments would need to be applied to the metal surface of the fixings, so if there's any kind of lacquer or sealant on there it might not work. I wouldn't think that would be the case though - anything like that would wear off the zip pdq.

Bulldozer said:

Just read the thread, and I'm not convinced. How do we know Durable didn't make that jacket after the film was released. The jacket only seems to vary a little from the 618 at the time, and a costume designer could have well added those.

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The way i see it, we have pictures and examples of Durables with all the correct details, but not a single picture or example of a Schott with the same details. This to me points to the fact that the jacket was a Durable.
If it isn't a Durable, and even though Schott doesn't have a a picture or an example of a jacket with the correct details they maintain that they built the jacket, then the burden of proof is on them to prove that claim.

It would make sens for them to make that claim from a marketing point of view, but to this day i have not seen any evidence coming from them that proves they made that jacket.

If all the evidence leads you to believe that something is something, and someone says that something is something else, the person making that claim should have evidence to back it.

barnabus said:

@Bulldozer don't go at the nickel with steel wool, or anything else abrasive. You'd actually be destroying the surface of the nickel coating over the metal fixings, and you don't want that.

I would make a couple of suggestions though: wipe the metal parts with vinegar or ammonia - if you can bare the smell! The mild corrosive effect of these chemicals will affect the surface finish of the nickel without physically abrading it.

Alternatively, dab or wipe the metal surfaces with a light oil - WD-40, perhaps - and then use a hairdryer to heat/dry the oil. This should darken the nickel.

If it was my jacket, I'd be trying the oil option first.

Oh, these treatments would need to be applied to the metal surface of the fixings, so if there's any kind of lacquer or sealant on there it might not work. I wouldn't think that would be the case though - anything like that would wear off the zip pdq.

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Are you talking about the regular distilled white vinegar (acetic acid) or a cleaning or industrial vinegar?

regular old 5% white vinegar should do it. the cooking stuff.

Carlos840 said:

The way i see it, we have pictures and examples of Durables with all the correct details, but not a single picture or example of a Schott with the same details. This to me points to the fact that the jacket was a Durable.
If it isn't a Durable, and even though Schott doesn't have a a picture or an example of a jacket with the correct details they maintain that they built the jacket, then the burden of proof is on them to prove that claim.

It would make sens for them to make that claim from a marketing point of view, but to this day i have not seen any evidence coming from them that proves they made that jacket.

If all the evidence leads you to believe that something is something, and someone says that something is something else, the person making that claim should have evidence to back it.

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My understanding is that Schott later bought Durable and subsumed it's business into theirs, which is why their marketing people claim they made Brando's jacket, as, in a way, they did. Except, of course, they didn't. It's evne possible that so many people have repeated the line that it was a Schott over the years that Schott actually believe it themselves.

Ernest P Shackleton said:

regular old 5% white vinegar should do it. the cooking stuff.

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Yup, this.

barnabus said:

Yup, this.

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Thank you! I think I will give it a shot sometime! Will the acidity affect the leather in some way if it spills a bit? Like dry out that area or worse, discolor it?

I wouldn't be too worried on decent HH, but perhaps try it on the leather somewhere inconspicuous first to check. Just dab it onto the metalwork with a q-tip / cotton bud then, so it doesn't go everywhere.

barnabus said:

I wouldn't be too worried on decent HH, but perhaps try it on the leather somewhere inconspicuous first to check. Just dab it onto the metalwork with a q-tip / cotton bud then, so it doesn't go everywhere.

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Great, thanks! Will give it a shot in sometime. How long does it usually take for something to happen? Is it in hours or days?

Better to do short doses and repeat as often as you need to get the result you're after. I'd apply, leave for an hour or so, dry it off and then see what result you've got.

Perhaps try on the underneath of one of the snaps somewhere out of sight to gauge the effect?

Use masking tape as precisely as possible, but it still best to not spill anyway. As if you were painting something. The blue painter masking tape if you have it handy is best, but it isn't mandatory. Mask it. Dampen a cloth with the vinegar. Hold it against the metal. or even tape a cotton ball dampened with the vinegar against the metal. Don't ask me for how long. That much is experimentation. I'd do a little toying with it on the back of a snap or whatever. Electro-plating is a weird thing. The plating can react in different ways to different extents.

What you're doing is basically "antiquing" the plating. Some metal cleaners tell you not to use them on nickel or chrome or whatever because they'll dull or change the color of the plating. Tarn-X is a well known one. I think I remember reading the instructions and it warning against getting on nickel. Just another option to throw out there.

My vote would be to leave it alone. If anything I've learned from experience is that the more you mess with something very likely the worse it gets....

I have the same Schott jacket in 44". Bought BRAND new from an eBay reseller in California ,maybe 5 years ago.

One of the few BRAND new jackets I have bought , most of my collection has been bought "hardly used" ( like yours !)

Wearing it to ride my Harley up and down the Indian Ocean coastal drive , the hardware has dulled up in no time.

Personally I would rather it had not but there you go !

No doubt down to our omnipresent afternoon sea breeze ( super mildly saline ). My hardware has actually corroded !

You can ride here in Perth Western Australia for 12 months of the year of course. Paintbrush and salt water being careful ?

If it was my jacket I'd be going 100% "incidental environmental" tho'....

I love the idea of riding around Perth to dull the hardware. But Downunder G Man's point is very well taken. Salt is corrosive and might well dull the finish through surface electrolysis. Might wanna try to just rub the hardware with a kitchen salt solution.

Bulldozer said:

Great, thanks! Will give it a shot in sometime. How long does it usually take for something to happen? Is it in hours or days?

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It generally will take about 4 years.

First post and new to the forum. I'm the type of person who is willing to take a methodical plunge if I want to change or alter something - in your case shiny nickel hardware on a nice jacket.

I have fair amount of experience modifying copper or brass to age or patina (not on jacket hardware). I've experimented with all sorts of home brew concoctions with dismal results. The Finishing Network has a wealth of information on subjects such as this. The downside is you'll get recommendations that requires chemicals that are not easily obtained. There are companies that make products specifically designed to do exactly what you're wanting to achieve. They've taken the guess work out and the products work as described.

Someone else pointed this out already - if any of the hardware has a clear coating chemical aging will not work.

I have a few observations based on some of the info in your post.
A. Schott C.S. told you it would not age much with time. This probably means one or two things.
1. The hardware has a very good quality nickel plating.
2. The nickel hardware has a clear protective coating - I doubt this is the case.

If I where you and really wanted to do this I would call Schott again and ask them which of the above apply. The zippers with the Schott logo are made by Lenzip. Again if there is a clear coating I would not attempt to age the hardware. If not then I would go for it.

Back to specific products. The is a product called Nickel Ager. I've used products from the company that makes this and they work. The directions on the product call for the items to be dipped, you don't have to do that. You can apply with a Q tip. Then use a spray bottle with water to rinse after a few minutes (1 -5 min.depending on the level of aging you want).

I would do it this way (referring to myself if I were to do this)
1. Determine for sure if the zipper or hardware is clear coated. If not i wouldn't hesitate to age the nickel.
2. Decide if your willing to spend $10 -$20 or so and dedicate 2 -3 hrs. of your time to make this happen.
3. Order aging chemical and find a like nickel test piece and test to see how long it takes to get the desired patina you're looking for. Then test on a piece of like leather. Carefully applied and rinsed I doubt the leather would be effected at all. Chemicals that effect metal/coating generally have no effect/affect on other unlike materials.
4. There is no doubt this can be done with excellent results with the proper chemical, careful application and light spray bottle rinsing.
I've attached a photo of the "Nickel Ager".

Life to short to not get what you want!